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Inclusion statement for the Ribble Valley Jazz Festival

We want everyone who visits our website or attends the festival to feel that they can contribute or participate. If you do not have time to help with the organisation then we do hope we see you at the festival, you will be very welcome and hopefully find the experience rewarding. If not, then please let us know how we can improve.

What are we doing?

RVJ&B’s main focus is a broad based portfolio of jazz programmes promoting increased participation in jazz as an art form for musicians and audiences, a focus influenced by jazz’s black music heritage, supporting a priority for cultural diversity.

Our portfolio links 7 jazz activities:

a festival;

a monthly gig programme;

two community big bands;

agency bookings for regional bands;

rural dinner jazz events;

jazz jams;

and skills workshops (performance & improvisation).

The annual festival is a key creative achievement. ACE funding, and partnership with the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) strengthens our commitment to cultural diversity, achieved by

Diversity has increased by branding the festival as international in 2018 and committing to a new contemporary jazz programme:

Norwegian - Bugge Wesseltoft,

Italian trio Pericopes,

Jazz/Punk band World Service Project, helping with recruitment of young people.

We help programme UCLan’s Preston Jazz & Improvisation Festival which initiated a new artistic partnership with Preston Caribbean Carnival. We work with Jazz North’s Northernline programme, and its ‘Alt Shift J’ project, prioritising new work with young musicians. Weekly programmes on Ribble FM, and links on Giants of Jazz radio promote RVJ&B to a wider audience.

By working with these groups we aim to attract new audiences from neighbouring wards in Blackburn, Burnley and Preston where arts-engagement is lower. To assist we will make 300 free and discounted tickets available through partners, including Lancashire Health and Wellbeing Service, Citizens Advice Bureau, and Food Banks. We will explore other options for making the festival more accessible to low income groups, via our wider portfolio. A pre and post festival support programme will link with, promote and celebrate festival events.

New activity in Longridge town in 2018 will be supported by two new venues in 2019, increasing our rural appeal across Ribble Valley.We aim to attract more participants to an extended & varied workshop programme. We have booked a vocal workshop with Claire Martin and Leanne Carroll, and aim to book a ‘Music & Freedom’ presentation by Professor Brian Ward, of Northumbrian University. prioritising cultural diversity, and including more women, disabled people, young people, people from BAME communities, and people on low incomes as musicians and in audiences. Inclusion of black music genres - mainstream jazz, jazz funk, jazz fusion, soul, hip hop, blues, and contemporary jazz will produce a richer, creative, and varied programme - more attractive to excluded groups. Confirmed links to Preston Caribbean Carnival strengthens programming and audience development, likewise with South Asian Arts (Leeds), an emerging new partner.

By working with these groups we aim to attract new audiences from neighbouring wards in Blackburn, Burnley and Preston where arts-engagement is lower. To assist we will make 300 free and discounted tickets available through partners, including Lancashire Health and Wellbeing Service, Citizens Advice Bureau, and Food Banks. We will explore other options for making the festival more accessible to low income groups, via our wider portfolio. A pre and post festival support programme will link with, promote and celebrate festival events.

Please let us know what you think

If you would like to help us in our aims, or if you had trouble with any part of our statement, please get in touch. We’d like to hear from you in any of the following ways:

This inclussion statement was updated on 30th October 2018

Ribble Valley Jazz and Blues and its Festival, RVJF, is independent, run by committee, and dependent on income from you the audience. To show your support please donate by texting: RVJB17 £1 to 70070 or even £5, £10, perhaps £20 or more!Ribble Valley Jazz and Blues Ltd is a Charitable Company Limited by Guarantee. Company No: 7325147 Charity No: 1138083